Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams delivers keynote address at 6th Annual Education Summit in Austin

The Texas Caucus of Black School Board Members (TCBSBM) convened today in Austin, Texas for its 6th Annual Education Summit.

Michael L. Williams, Texas Commissioner of Education, delivered the education summit keynote address to school board members in the morning session.

 

Michael L. Williams

Commissioner of Education

Sessions today included the following:

• School Finance Focusing on the Issue of Adequacy
• School Discipline in Texas: What All School Board Members Should Know 
• Early Childhood Education
• High States Testing and Accountability
• Developing Champions of High Character and Integrity
• Why We Can't Wait: Addressing Black America and the Failed Education Priority 

Among other sessions Saturday morning, delegates will hear the presentation:

• Update from the Texas School Finance Lawsuit: What's Next?

Education Summit presenters included the following:

• Dr. Meria Carstarphen-Superintendent, Austin ISD
• Dr. Brian Perkins-Director, Urban Education Leaders Program-Columbia University Teachers College    
• Sandra D.Carpenter-Walsh, Anderson, Gallegos, Green & Trevino, P.C.
• Julie Shields - Assistant Director of Governmental Relations - Texas Association of School Boards - TASB
•  Bobby Blunt - Northside ISD
• James Fuller -Midland ISD
• Dr. Willis Mackey - Superintendent, Judson ISD
• Francis Watson-Hester - Principal, Navarro Middle School
• Steve Orta - Director, First Public, LLC
• Kevin McCarthy - Account Development, First Financial
• Jeff Clemmons and Jason Turner - TASB Energy Cooperative
• Dr. James Wilcox- Superintendent, Longview ISD
• Dr. Frank Fudesco - Regional Vice President of Curriculum Advantage
• Dr. Troy W. Simmons - Longview ISD
• Catherine Clark - Associate Executive Director for Governmental Services
•  Harold Kidd - Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist

Senator Royce West answered a few questions on the Texas legislative education agenda.

Educator of the Year - Eryn Bell - Northside ISD
Administrator of the Year - Carlos Walker - Fort Worth ISD 

In addition to school board members, superintendents, administrators and  TASB representatives attended the Summit.

Ted Beard - President
Wade Johnson - President Elect
Josie Smith-Wright - Immediate Past President, Conference Chair

Texas Caucus of Black School Board Members

San Antonio

The 4th Annual Education Summit presented by Texas Caucus of Black School Board Members (TCBSBM) was held in San Antonio on Friday, March 4 -- Saturday, March 5, 2011.

In addition to veteran and new Trustees from across the state, the summit hosted national speakers, local/state presenters, superintendents, Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) staff, public school stakeholders,  as well as local students and their teachers.

Sylvester Vasquez, President of the Texas Association of School Boards and James B. (Jim) Crow, TASB Executive Director, were in attendance.

Topics, including student achievement, discipline, bullying, communication, redistricting, college readiness among others, engaged summit participants in deep discussions. As would be expected, the topic of  school finance was on everyone's mind; Catherine Clark, TASB Finance, was session leader for this discussion.

TCBSBM also awarded five student scholarships.

Trustees will receive professional development credit for attending the sessions.

Thanks to TCBSBM President Josie Smith-Wright, Gonzales ISD, and planning committee for a superb Education Summit.

The early pioneers of the organization (Est. 1978) included three former Dallas ISD Trustees for whom schools have been named:  Dr. Emmett J. Conrad (Emmett J. Conrad High School), the first President of the Black Caucus, Kathlyn Joy Gilliam (Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy) and Dr. Yvonne A. Ewell (Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center).